HI, Because of a required move, I am rebuilding my layout. I am using all insulated Fastrack. As a convention habit the active ground is on the outside rail. However, because of multiple curves and walk through horseshoe tables the physical outside rail can actually be on the inside. I define outside as the outside finished edge of the table(s). I am setting up multiple blocks. Should i keep the active physical ground rail on the same side within a block and is it OK if the adjacent block(s) have the active ground rail on the other side. Can I switch the active ground rail from one side within a block to the other side. Or does it not really matter how I treat the configuration of the active physical ground rail.
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As a general rule, the side that is the active ground doesn't make any difference. I do recommend that you have both sides connected to ground in any block that you aren't using the insulated rail for signalling.
Interesting ClarkeSr,
Did you take the time to remove all of the jumper bars for the outside rails?
HI Carl,
Yes I did and every track is hot wired with a 12awg soldered connections.
gunrunnerjohn posted:As a general rule, the side that is the active ground doesn't make any difference. I do recommend that you have both sides connected to ground in any block that you aren't using the insulated rail for signalling.
John, grounding both sides? Do ground loops ever rear their ugly heads? I'm guessing not since most train circuitry seems to be low impedance?
CLARKESR posted:HI Carl,
Yes I did and every track is hot wired with a 12awg soldered connections.
Wow, that's a lot of work. Thanks for the info. I was just curious.
I always run a 16 awg wire from one outside rail to the other in every block - then I run 16 awg "hot" wire to the middle rail and another 16 awg ground to either the inside or outside rail - these two wires are then connected to 14 awg wires going to my terminal block.
Paul
GeoPeg posted:gunrunnerjohn posted:As a general rule, the side that is the active ground doesn't make any difference. I do recommend that you have both sides connected to ground in any block that you aren't using the insulated rail for signalling.
John, grounding both sides? Do ground loops ever rear their ugly heads? I'm guessing not since most train circuitry seems to be low impedance?
Well, Lionel tubular track and Fastrack have both sides grounded, and that doesn't cause a problem, so I'd say no.